Retractable seal for a slidable closure member



RETRACTABLE SEAL FOR A SLIDABLE CLOSURE MEMBER Ernest M. Brown Kansas City Mo, assignor of one-half to Kenneth Thompson, Hickman Mills, Mo.

Application June 14, 1956, Serial No. 591,478

4 Claims. (CI. 20-68) This invention relates to a normally retracted weather seal for a slidable closure member and has a projected actuator rod for first striking the floor or sill and linked to levers and a spring for forcing the sealing strip against the sill or floor below the bottom of the slidable closure member.

Heretofore other seals have been designed to close the remaining space between the closure member of a building opening and the sill or floor of a slidable window or door. The seals were not retracted above the bottom of the slidable closure member when the closure member was opened. Such seals were often exposed to, the direct rays of the sun, the weather, and objects Were often thrust against the seal to damage and shorten the usefulness thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide a normally retracted weather seal above and against the bottom of a vertical slidable closure member and have a vertical projected actuator rod for first striking the floor or sill below the closure member, the rod being linked to levers for forcing the sealing strip against the sill or floor so as to seal the space between the bottom of the closure member and the sill or floor.

The present improved invention will be more fully understood from the accompanying drawing, the description of the several views, the specification, and the scope of the claims appended.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved retractable seal for a slidable closure member connected to a slidable window sash, the sash being illustrated in section.

Figure 2 is an elevational and longitudinal view of Figure l, the sealing strip being normally retracted above the bottom of the closure member when the sash is raised or opened above the top of the sill.

Figure 3 is an end view in elevation of a fragment of a door with the improved retractable seal forced against the sill or floor line when the slidable door closure memher is closed.

Figure 4 is an end view in elevation of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a right angle view in elevation of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the levers, the levers are illustrated in right and left hand structure.

Figure 7 is a modified view of a fragment of the vertical actuator rod illustrating the lower end thereof threaded and having an adjustable cap threaded thereon.

Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the grooved yoke collar threaded on the top portion of the rod, a portion thereof is broken away to illustrate the interior structure and linkage part for the levers.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lever, and fulcrum screw thereof attached to the fragment of the slidable closure member.

Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view of an end portion of the weather seal strip clamped in a channel strip, and a connection lug.

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Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the vertical actuator rod slidably mounted in the hole of the channel strip and weather seal strip. A part of the channel and weather seal strip being broken away to illustrate the structure thereof.

The slidable closure member 15 is illustrated as a window sash in Figures 1, 2 and 4 and as a door in Figures 3 and 5 and the claim element of a closure member represents either the window sash or door or both. Likewise the sill line or floor line 16 is illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 under the window sash and in Figures 3 and 5 under the door and are combined for a claim element in combination with the slidable closure member 15.

The slidable movement is indicated on the elevations of the slidable closure member 15 by arrows pointing up and down.

The weather sealing strip 17 is preferably of a rectangular section, made of rubber, composition or felt and has a length substantially equal to the width of the slidable closure member 15. The sealing strip 17 is retained in a channel strip 18. The channel strip 18 is substantially the same length as the sealing strip 17 and retains the upper portion of the sealing strip 17 therein by being clamped thereto.

A plurality of connection lugs 19 are secured to the back of the channel and are projected upward therefrom and have holes 20 located therein. The connection lugs 19 are preferably spaced in pairs about each actuating vertical rod 21. Each vertical rod 21 is slidably mounted in a respective hole 22 extended vertically through the back of the channel 18 and sealing strip 17. Each vertical rod 21 extends above the channel strip 18 and below the sealing strip 17. The upper end portion of each vertical rod 21 is preferably threaded at 23 and receives an internally threaded grooved collar 24.

A plurality of levers 25 are preferably arranged in pairs with the end portions 26 being linked at 27 to connection lugs 19. The opposite ends 28 of the levers 25 preferably form a yoke to work in the grooves 29 of the collars 24 and give the equivalent action of a link motion to the vertical rods 21.

The levers 25 are fulcrumed on screws 30 located between the ends 26 and 28. Each screw 30 is extended through a washer 31 and screwed into the slidable closure member 15 as detailed in Figure 9, thus fixing the position of each fulcrum 30 on the slidable closure member 15.

Arms 32 are preferably integral with the levers 25 and each arm 32 extends upwardly transverse to the lever 25 and has a hole 33 therein to receive one end 34 of the tension coil spring 35.

The weather sealing strip 17 has the bottom thereof normally positioned flush with or above the bottom of the slidable closure member 15 when the slidable closure member is opened. This is accomplished by the coil springs 35, each being connected to opposed arms of each pair of arms 32, and the arms 32 and levers 25 turn on the respective fulcrums 30, to raise the linkage 27 with connection lugs 19 and also lower the linkage or yoke 28 with vertical rod 21.

When the slidable closure member 15 is closed the lower ends of the vertical actuator rods 21 first strike the sill or floor 16 causing the levers and arms coupled with the linkage to move against the tension of the coil springs 35 and lower the sealing strip 17 to the sill or floor for a weather seal.

The retractable weather seal is preferably mounted on the weather side of the closure member to prevent ice, snow or rain from getting under the closure member. A sheet metal housing 36 is used for a weather closure of the retractable weather seal with sealing strip and protects the retracted sealing strip from the direct rays of the sun, and objects unintentionally thrust toward the sealing strip.

The vertical actuator rod may be adjusted in the length below the collar by manually turning the collar 24,; or the modified adjustment maybe made with the internal ly threaded cap 37 threaded on the lower end of vertical rod 21 as illustrated in Figure 7. If the threaded cap is used the collar 24 may be replaced with a link motion similar to that shown at 27 to connect a vertical rod to one end of the lever.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A retractable Weather seal for a slidable closure member having a horizontal sealing strip mounted in a channel to -.close against a sill or floor comprising; a pair of .connectionlugs secured to the top of the chan= nel, va pair .of levers, a rod, said rod .slidably mounted in a vertical hole through the sealing strip and normally projecting thereabove and therebelow, said connection lugs spaced about said rod, each lever having one end thereof linked to a connection lug, each lever having the opposite end thereof linked with said rod, each of said levers being fulcrumed at a point between the ends thereof, each fulcrum being relatively positioned by the closure member, a transverse arm on each lever projected upwardly and having a hole therein, a tension spring, said tension springhaving the ends thereof secured in the holes ofsaid arms so as to pull said arms toward each other and cause said levers to tilt on their respective fulcrums moving the rod downwardly in the hole of the sealing strip and normally retracting the sealing strip-above the bottom of the closure member, and said rod being projected sufliciently below the sealing strip so as the bottom end of the rod will first strike the sill or floor below the closure member to actuate the levers and arms on the fulcrums thereof against the force of the tension spring and force the sealing strip against the sill or floor below the bottom of the closure member.

2. A retractable weather seal for a slidable closure member comprising; a sealing strip, a channel strip, the sealing strip being retained horizontally in said channel strip and having one edge projected downward through the open side of the channel strip, a pair of connection lugs secured to the top of said channel strip, a pair .of levers, one end of each lever being linked to a respective connection lug, a rod, said rod slidabiy mounted through aivertical hole in said sealing'strip and the back of said channel strip, the opposite ends of .said levers being linked to said rod above the channel strip, said levers being fulcrumed at a point between the ends thereof, each fulcrum position being relatively retained by the closure member, a pair of arms, each arm being transverse to and rigidly secured with a respective lever, a tension spring, said tension spring being connected to and between said arms so as to normally force the rod downwardly in the sealing strip and normally holding the sealing strip retracted above the bottom of the closure member, and said rod projected sufficiently be low thesealing strip so as the lower end of the rod will first strike the sillor floor below the closure member'to actuate .the levers and arms to fulcrum them against the force .of the tension spring and force the sealing :strip against the sill or floor below the closure member.

3. A retractable weather seal for a slidable closure member comprising, a sealing strip, a channel strip, the sealing strip being retained in said channel strip horizontally and protruding downward from the open side of the channel strip, a plurality of connection lugs being secured to the top of said channel strip, a plurality of levers, one end of each lever being linked to a respective connection lug, a plurality of rods, said rods having the longitudinal aXes thereof located parallel with the slidable movement of the closure member, said rods being mounted slidable through vertical holes in said sealing strip and the back of said channel strip, the opposite ends of said levers being linked to said plurality of rods above the channel strip, said levers being fulcrumed near the mid-length thereof, the position .of the fulcrum being retained by the closure member, a plurality of arms, each arm being rigidly connected with a lever and projected above each lever, a plurality of tension springs, said tension springs being connected to said arms so .as

the closure sill or floor to actuate the levers and arms to fulcrum them against the force of the tension springs and force the sealingstrip against the sill or floor below the bottom of the closure member.

4. A retractable weather seal for a slidable closure member having a horizontal sealing strip mounted in a channel tovclose against a sill or floor comprising; a plurality of connection lugs secured to the top of the channel, a plurality of levers, a plurality of rods, said rods' slidably mounted in vertical holes through the sealing strip and normally projecting thereabove and therebelow, said connection lugs spaced on said channel, each lever having one end thereof linked to one of said connection lugs, each lever having the opposite end thereof linked with one of said plurality of rods, each of said levers being fulcrumed at a point located between ,the ends thereof, each fulcrum being relatively positioned by the closure member, a transverse arm on each lever projected upwardly and having a hole therein, a tension spring, said tension spring being anchored and having one end thereof secured in one hole of one .of said arms so as to-pull said arms to cause said levers to tilt on their respective fulcrums moving the rods downwardly inthe holes of the sealing strip and normally retracting the sealing :strip above the bottom of the closure member, and'said rods being projected suificiently below the sealing strip so as the bottom end of the rods will first strike the sill or floor below the closure member to actuate the levers and arms .on-the fulcrum thereof against the ,force ofthe tension springand force the sealing strip against the sill or-floor belowthebottom of the closure member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 38,802 Averill June 9, .1863

611,676 Cave Oct. 4, .1898

FOREIGN PATENTS 50,536 Germany Ian. 25, I890 

